Project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words - 1

Project management - Essay Example it is not always the case that these projects are successful and achieve the desired objectives, but usually most of them do fail, either in terms of cost, quality, deliverables or time (Meredith & Mantel, 2012). Any project’s success is inherited in the timely ending of the project, attainment of the required objectives or deliverables are delivered, and within the project limitations or constraints. In order to execute the project successfully, it is imperative for the project team or managers to consider some crucial elements of the project, which may be the project cost, time, or resources (Oisen, 1971; Lock, 1994; Atkinson, 1999). Among these aspects, there are three central issues, such as the time, cost and quality, which are the key intentions of any project and hardly be achieved and make the project a successful one (Iqbal, Azam, & Qureshi, 2011). However, the secret of success can be understood by analyzing the executed projects, where the success factors or failure factors can be identified by a careful analysis. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the two real-life projects related to the adoption of Information Technology in the organization by identifying the success factors of these projects, and also to identify the risk factors with the help of risk map as well as provide suggestions for mitigating or managing the risks. ECourier is a well-known UK based organization, where it provides 24/7 and same day courier services to the customers throughout UK. It was started in 2003 and the main objective of the company was to deliver courier service with accurate delivery information or transparency in this information, along with the highest customer relationships through automation. It collects and delivers the packages from all the areas in London, as per customer’s instructions. In the beginning, it was involved in delivering the packages only in London, but now it has developed a huge customer base across the world, and have built many

Theories underpinning the change process

Theories underpinning the change process The government of Great Britain was experiencing heavy burden of giving subsidies to British Airways (BA), which was accounted for almost $900 million in 1982. Beside subsidies government was also facing immense opposition from Conservative government of owing the business; as they believed, BA to be province appropriate for and should be run by private enterprise. Environmental changes were another issue of concern due to increasing deregulation of international air traffic. Moreover, growing competitions and high varied Air fares were resulting into price wars situation and placing more risk of financial crisis for BA. Indeed there was intense pressure exerted from external environment on BA. The external pressure again imposed very widespread and massive changes to internal environment of organization. The main primary reason behind any organizational changes is due to enforcing external pressure instead need for change or internal desire (Waldbaum, 1987). Considering all these problems and concerns the government of Britain in 1982 decided to privatize BA. For making BA privatize it was essential to make BA profitable organization. This essay analyzes the organizational changes involved in BA by converting to private ownership i.e. transforming BAs culture from bureaucratic and militaristic to service-oriented and market-driven in 5 year period as presented in Fig(1). Diagnose and need for change Fig(1) (Goodstien et al., 1991) Theories underpinning the change process/Methods: TROPICS ANALYSIS: Tropics test can be utilized at very initial stage of any change for understanding the nature of change and deriving optimal solution methodology. It is effective and easy to apply as it requires very minimalistic inputs and less expense considering both time and resources. It is used by management team in giving the starting point and finding the appropriate route for implementing change (Paton McCalman, 2008). On applying tropics fig(2) the change for BA privatization was identified to be at the SOFT side of the spectrum. The few aspects were found to be hard but majority tendency lying on soft side. Considering the outcome of tropics analysis to be on soft side indicates the change process should follow Organization Development model. Factors Tendency towards Time Scales Estimated for 5 years Hard Resources Unclear and Variable Soft Objectives Clearly defined Hard Perceptions Varied and different Soft Interest Widespread among staff and government Soft Control Top management and government Soft Source Originated externally by government Soft Fig(2) (Paton McCalman, 2008). Organizational development is determined as an educational process of continuously identifying, allocating and expanding human resources in a manner for making it more usable to the organization need and hence leading improvement in the problem-solving capabilities (Sherwood, 1972). Organizational change involves three levels of change as shown in fig(3). Each level differs in their pattern of resistance and requires different strategies and methods or techniques for implementing change (Nadler Tushman, 1989). Fig(3) (Goodstien et al., 1991) LEWINS CHANGE MODEL: According to (Lewin, 1951) views, for any behaviour there is dynamic balance of forces running in opposite directions. Like, Driving forces encourage change by pushing workforce in desired direction and restraining forces resist change by pushing workforce in opposite direction. Hence, to understand the problem within the organization it is essential to analyse these forces first and then plan the strategies and goals for moving equilibrium in desired direction (Kritsonis, 2005). FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS Force field analysis is an approach for analysing group behaviour by mapping the complexity and totality of the field in which the behaviour takes place (Back, 1992). By applying the Lewins (1947) field force analysis it is clear that major restraining forces were related to workforce and involves change in human aspects. Driving Forces Restraining Forces Risk of financial crises. Change in work culture Become worlds favourite airlines New management. Become service oriented and market driven. Workforce reduction No subsidies from government by privatizing it. New service nature involving direct customer interaction LEWINS THREE-STEP MODEL: Lewins three-step model of Unfreezing, Moving and Refreezing can direct shift in balancing the direction of planned change (Levin, 1958). An adaptation of model fig(4) in BAs change process was found useful in establishing frameworks of BA change management. Fig(4) (Goodstien et al., 1991) Unfreezing: Unfreezing is the first step of change process and it is about encouraging and motivating people and making readiness to change (Schein, 1987) (Greaves, 1999). (Lewin, 1947) refers that any existing situation or behaviour is under equilibrium state supported by complex field of driving and restraining forces and to incorporate new behaviour the equilibrium need to be destabilized (unfrozen). According to (Robbin, 2003) unfreezing is important in overcoming the strains of group conformity and individual resistance. It can be achieved through three methods: firstly by increasing the driving force that drives behaviour in opposite direction of existing situation, secondly by decreasing the restraining force, finally by finding combination of first two methods. In BAs change process the first step taken in unfreezing was huge reduction in BAs workforce all over the globe. The workforce was cut down to 37,000 from 59,000. The downsizing decision was taken through consensus opinion at all levels within the BA. They believed downsizing will help in decreasing the hierarchy, at the same time giving more liberty to operating staff and easing the management process. The process of staff reduction was not that easy to execute and achieve but the effort was taken to minimise the exertion. The downsizing of staff was done in an optimistic way and with compassion. It was taken through early retirements and by giving incentives and through financial settlements. There were no laid off involved in entire system for downsizing. Interestingly, within a year staff reduction worked positive for BA. The improvement was observed in all performance indices of BA, they had timely departures and arrivals, less complaints of lost baggage etc. According to (Lancaster Lancaster, 1985) the initiated change requires sense of direction and considerable power of leadership. To facilitate patterns of behaviour for stabilizing, evaluating, and monitoring the change, the involvement of strong change agents such as system specialists and top management plays a key role in leading and making successful change process (Rasberry, 1986). With respect to change agent the second major change happened in 1881, there were two new appointments in BAs top management. The chairman of board was replaced by senior British industrialist Lord John King of Wartinbee and Sir Colin Marshall with marketing background, was a new CEO. Marshall being outsider of BAs culture and having marketing experience was able to view different perspective for BAs culture in comparison to its predecessors, who were mainly retired Air Force officers. He played a key role in the success of BAs change process. Marshall after its arrival to BA in short span decided new strategy for BA to become Worlds Favourite Airline. It was his vision and clear understanding that pointed out changes is required in BAs culture. He with his strong leadership skills and great effort executed the change. Many training programs were initiated and executed to support the unfreezing process. The main focus was on Putting People First. The training program was mainly dealt with customer interaction, in which BA personnel was in a direct contact with customers. The main aim of the program is to give the feel and understand the service nature of airline industry. It was completely different and was intended to challenge the existing BA culture. Movement: In a change process, movement step is necessary in moving the target system to new level of equilibrium. (Schein, 1996) refers movement state to be more learning and iterative approach or action that enables groups and individuals to move from less acceptable to more acceptable set of behaviour. In movement phase of BA Marshall hired Nicholas Georgiades as director (vice-president) of human resource for accomplishing and running the programs essential for implementing change. In a service climate (Schneider Bowen, 1985) indicate positive correlation between employees perceptions of human resources practices and customers perceptions and concludes human resources practices can influence service climate. Georgiades had a background of psychologist, former professor and consultant. BAs successful change effort was due to the joint leadership of Marshall and Georgiades. He created relevant programs and tactics to bring Marshalls view to reality. Georgiades had taken significant steps in the movement phase by conducting training programs for the middle and senior managers. The main aspects of the training involved were Leading the Service Business and Managing People First. Feedbacks were taken from every individual in understanding the perspective related to management practice s on the job. The main purpose of all training programs was to locate the shortcoming of current management style and to initiate the development of new process that would suit to new competitive culture of BA. It was essential of having participative management style (Marshall, 1984) for making BA organization service-based, market-driven and profit-making. Moreover, it would produce employee commitment. During unfreezing stage, diagonal task forces were extensively used on structures and system level. It mainly comprised of individual from different units and functions and exhibiting responsibilities at different level to deal with several aspects involved in change process. The aspects mainly consisted of new uniforms, new practices in staffing, need for MIS (management information system) etc. the major difference from traditional approach was introduced i.e. A bottom-up, less centralized budgeting process. In the climate/interpersonal side involved critical shift in redefining BAs business to represent service instead of transportation. Good interpersonal skills and open climate together with outstanding team-work are key features of service business (Goodstien et al., 1991). To incorporate service environment in BA, the process were developed and team-building activities were taken off-site during movement phase, which are at-present institutionalized. All these changes were successfully implemented due to top management involvement. Marshall himself introduced question-and-answer sessions during training programs. The purpose was to maintain transparency; he shared the information and also gave his opinion for the required change. The acceptance of emotional labour in movement phase was the important step. It was done through Georgiades championed, that conveyed the importance of high energy requirement to deliver quality of service in airline business to the workforce. Any emotional drain in the service can cause permanent psychological damage and critically impact to developing system for the service workers involved emotionally. Another important step was taken in creating internal change agents through retraining of internal personal staffs. The training was taken by supporting line and staff managers. It was found fruitful for managers completing the Managing People First training program in developing peer support groups. Many changes were done internally to BA structures and systems to support this movement. That included new bonus system, sharing of BAs financial gains success. The other initiatives were taken like at Heathrow Airport opening of new Terminal4 for providing more functional units for staffs. Inclusion of new training center through purchase of Chartridge House which was utilized in training staffs and providing information house for MIS enabled managers. Refreezing: Refreezing phase take place after the change has been implemented. In process-oriented studies it has been observed that the refreezing is stage strongly associated with change success (Ginzberg, 1978, p. 59). According to (Schein, 1987) it is that part of the process in which change is embedded within two separate, yet related mechanisms. The first mechanism deals with personal refreezing that implies to the extent to which the persons self-concept have incorporated change and can be integrated with rest of the personality. The second mechanism is relational refreezing that refers to employees personal change to meet the expectation of their peers, supervisor and subordinates. As per (Robbins, 2003) a view refreezing main purpose is to stabilize the new equilibrium resulted through change and that can be achieved by policies and procedures. In BAs refreezing phase, the top management by their continuous involvement and commitment ensured the change is fixed in the system. The staffs which inherited the new BA values were soon to be promoted at higher levels. For educating the workforce many additional programs were introduced. Like, for new staffs included Open Learning and orientation programs, for supervisors supervisory training etc. the training programs were also executed for executive and management levels. To focus on customer service, subordinate development and enthusiasm among staff a new performance appraisal system was introduced. The performance was calculated on both attitude and work results. Another area of BA where immense attention was paid to its symbol and in introducing new refurbished aircraft, upscale uniforms and corporate coat of arms indicating the motto We fly to serve. New teams were developed for providing consistent cabin-crew staffing instead of ad hoc approach of past. Finally, the feedback data on management practices are continuously utilized throughout the system. Analysis of managing change: The change process doesnt seem to be smooth even after BA applied Lewins model change. Since changing behaviour at both organizational and individual levels involves deviations from the existing habitual responses in producing new responses that many times creates awkward situation among involved workforce (Dentinger Derlyn, 2009). Indeed, it could lead to early abandonment of the new management style. The organization must effectively recognize and identify intervening transition state in moving from known present state to a desired future state. A careful management is very essential in the transition state when the planned change is complex and large. The essential part of this change management lies in accepting and recognizing the temporarily lowered effectiveness and disorganization that characterizes the transition state (Bechard, Harris, 1987). In BAs change process, the intensity of chaos and anger that evolved during the transitional phase has been abated and the sign of success is observed. However, many times both inside and outside BA the serious question of wisdom of process were raised due to lack in clarity of outcomes. During such period the involvement and commitment of top management are essential and very important (Walton, 1985) In order to increase involvement in such organizational changes management often require the usage of transition management team that comprises of broad cross-section of members of the organization (Bechard, Harris, 1987). Other methods that account effective involvement is usage of multiple interventions rather than just one like, using symbols and rituals to mark significant achievements and keeping the system open to feedback about the change process (Hornstein, 1971). All these techniques and methods were used in BA program. OD intervention Process consultation: Apart from the various change strategies discussed in BAs change, the considerable use was made of usual organizational development (OD) technologies which included team building, role clarification, structural changes and process consultation to facilitate change. The unique OD intervention process consultation was carried by the consultant to examine pattern of a workforce communications (Burke, 1982). It was done by direct observation of staff, meeting and at opportune times by making observations of happening changes and by raising questions. The main motto behind the process consultation was to change the closed communication style of BA and to create openness in work team. The process consultation played key role in change process and achieving the motto. IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUDING REMARKS: Fig(5) (Goodstien et al., 1991) As shown in fig(5) BAs conversion to private ownership was found to be successful. After the change completion, BA was turn into profitable organization with the significant rise was observed in passenger, cargos and share price. The BA change effort provides understanding of social psychology perspective of the change process, that gives an important and different perspective to managers, employees etc for coping up with highly competitive environment. In BAs massive change project, the most evident observation is that the change was based on open-system thinking, phased model of managing change and multiple levels involvement for implementing change. Hence, both design and implementation of change effort was heavily dependent on understanding about nature of organization. The change process involved a multifaceted effort by using many leverage points to initiate and support the changes (Burke et al., 1984). Hence, the change process in which transition teams were involved for openness to feedback was efficiently managed and supported by top management. Moreover, the resistance created at all three levels, i.e. individual, structural and systems, and interpersonal, were effectively managed by usage of unfree zing strategies. In BA successful change process many incorporated changes worked positive in stabilizing the company. The most effective change was found in companys culture of creating strong customer-service focus which was lacking in 1982. The fact that service or marketing taken, considering customer perspective, can have substantial payoff for the organization is now endemic to the corporate culture (Hambrick Cannella, 1989). Another aspect that impacted the BAs culture was the way one manages employees that are involved in direct customer interaction, especially for ticket agents and cabin crews. LESSON LEARNT: The lesson learnt from the successful BA change to become service-oriented and market-driven: 1) The

I Miss Feeling Uncomfortable :: Personal Narrative Essay Example

I Miss Feeling Uncomfortable Going overseas was indeed one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It has had a lasting impact, an impact I feel every day of my life. After living in Swansea, Wales last year, I had grown accustomed to biking along the Atlantic Coast Bay to class everyday, hiking amongst sheep-littered cliffs, more green than I could imagine, and walking the beach, just a quarter-mile from my dorm, on moonlit nights, contemplating the world and my place in it. However, I had also grown accustomed to days on end without seeing the sun, days without talking to anyone, and daily drenchings from riding an old, rusty bike in the rain, which never seemed to stop. Living such a life, completely out of my comfort zone, not knowing a soul, and not being oriented to my new community, I began to feel very depressed. I questioned why I had come and what I was doing there. I missed my friends, my boyfriend, Dagwood's sandwiches, and driving a car down Kirkwood. I missed feeling comfortable. And the furthe r I sank in this depression, the more compassionate and understanding of the human experience I became. I can now see how someone's emotional state truly affects their outlook on life and how they interact with others on a daily basis. Before this, I honestly had no concept of why people were ever rude, mean, and inconsiderate. Sure, we have all had our bad days, and this can influence how we treat others, but I had never had bad months. And in realizing this, through being depressed from being out of my comfort zone, my capacity for compassion and understanding has grown tremendously. When someone commits an injustice to another human being, instead of so quickly judging them, I slow down and ask, "What is it in their life that is causing them to behave in this way? Where are the feelings stemming from? They must be facing some unhappiness in their life." I can relate on a level I had not known before. This has translated into my job at the Shalom Community Center, and into my dail y life in my interactions with people. It has really affected how I see the world and deepened my understanding of the human experience tremendously. After the first few months of isolation and depression, things did pick up! I began to make new friends who I still keep in contact with, from all over Britain and other exchange students from North America.

Research Paper: Paternity Leave Essay

There is about a six week to six month period right after a child is born where forming a bond with your child is quite significant. This period of time will help the child with setting a certain healthy routine, getting the house set for the child, and adjusting to the new life in the household. The value of having both parents by the child’s side can make a difference in how the child is raised or even how the child may perceive their own life. There has been occurrences where people feel worthless without one parent in their life. The bond that you create with your family in those six weeks or so is important to uphold and will make for stronger families. Those children that have been through divorces or not even knowing who one parent is in the first place may be pressed with difficulties in their life. In â€Å"Leave Practices of Parents after the Birth or Adoption of Young Children† it is explained, â€Å"Children whose mothers did not report taking any leave (10 % of the total) were more likely to be from a lone-parent family.† I was raised by a single mother and when I was born my mother did not take any leave from work or school. She had me on the weekend and was back on a Tuesday. I was raised mostly by my grandmother at the beginning of my life. Growing up without a father has always been a difficult obstacle for me to overcome. When I was younger I could never understand why it seemed like everyone else had something I could never have. There have been men who come into my life and try to fill the role of a father to me, but there is always still a void. There is not a day in my life that I don’t think about my father: who he is, how he looks, or if I have brothers and sisters. Many people that I have come by in my life have a bond with their father that seems unrealistic to me because it is unattainable. Even though I do not have a father, I can tell that bond is extremely important. Paid paternity leave is an exceptional way to promote a healthy family and be able to form that very special bond. According to the Oxford English Dictionary paternity leave is, â€Å"a short period of authorized absence from employment granted to a father after or  shortly before the birth of his child.† Paternity leave is very close in definition to maternity leave but it is the leave taken by the father instead of just the mother. I believe that the father should always be able to take his six weeks and have it be paid for so that the he can still help support the family. Another term that is very pertinent to my argument is explained on the United States Department of Labor website. The term is the Family and Medical Leave Act which discloses, â€Å"The FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave.† The website also discloses that employees will get twelve work weeks of unpaid leave within a twelve month period. Even though this act is beneficial to working parents, it does not entitle parents to any sort of paid leave. Even though there isn’t much evidence of the impact of men at home, the bond created between the parents and the child is not replaceable by any means. In the article â€Å"Fathers, Parental Leave Policies, and Infant Quality of Life: International Perspectives and Policy Impact† the author Margaret O’Brien states, â€Å". . . parental leave has the potential to boosts fathers’ emotional investment and connection with infants as well as the support of their mothers.† There is a couple I know personally where the father was only given a total of three days after his son was born. He has already taken all of his vacation days for work and could not call off even if he wanted to. Those vacation days were not even paid for and sometimes it caused their family to have to struggle to make ends meet. Situations like this could be avoided if men wer e always given the choice of paid time off. In time past, paternity leave has not been socially acceptable in the workplace. Men were to provide for the family, while woman were supposed to be the caretakers. As everything in our world is becoming more modern the idea of paternity leave is becoming more acceptable for men to take but it is not exactly what men always do. The article, â€Å"Without Taking Away Her Leave†: A Canadian Case Study of Couples Decisions on Father’s Use of Parental Leave† explains, â€Å"More than one in four Canadian fathers now takes some paid leave at the birth of a child.† While this certain explanation is shown in a positive perspective, more fathers in the workplace should be taking hefty advantage of paid parental leave  particularly to form the bond in the first six weeks. While in countries like Canada in the province of Quebec, paternity leave is more accepted by men than it is in countries like the United States. In the United States it is more likely for a father not to take any time off after his child is born. One might argue that taking too much time off after the birth of a child might take away opportunities in the workplace, but because paternity leave is becoming more accepted, it will be normal for a man to take time off. It is likely that they will have to use vacation time which might leave room for not being able to call off for an emergency. In most cases, taking twelve weeks unpaid could really hurt a family. That is why those first six weeks should be paid for. The idea will become even more accepted, more men won’t feel as obligated to not be around as much as they want to. Ariane Hegewisch, and Yuko Hara, the authors of â€Å"Maternity, Paternity, and Adoption Leave in the United States†, express, â€Å"Job-protected parental leave is crucial for the health and economic security of pregnant women, and new mothers, and their families.† That security is what will represent a stronger family. Men will be more involved with their children and create a bond with that child in the same way that a mother does. It will help the mother and father see eye to eye and make decisions for the child together. A reporter from CNN interviewed a father, Joe Schroeder, about his three month paternity leave in the article â€Å"Paid Leave Lets Dads Build Parenting Foundation†. Joe stated, ‘†It made me a lot more aware of how fundamental parental leave is to family stability,† Schroeder said. ‘It made me lament the fact that it’s not a right that everybody shares.’ This quote from this man shows how important it ca n be to take paternity leave in the case of building a stronger bond. He also helps reveal the importance of issue of men not being able to have this right. There are instances where even women do not receive a parental leave as well and if they do they may not even receive pay. If men take paternity leave it will help support women in the workplace. Women will more likely return to work, and men will also become more involved with their kids and be caretakers as well. Women won’t feel so pressured to stay at home if the father helps her out the first few weeks  setting up the foundation of the child’s routine and feeling stable enough to come back to work. The article â€Å"The Daddy Track† positively reinforces this statement. The article states in reference to paternity leave, â€Å". . . is a brilliant and ambitious form of social engineering: a behavior modification tool that has been shown to boost male participation in the household, enhance female participation in the labor force, and promote gender equality in both domains.† Fathers will be more likely to help around the house; they may help clean, and spend lots more time with the child or children. The women will more likely return to their job which could lead to more raises, and job advances. Women will also more likely not have postpartum depression because they will not feel as pressured. If the paternity leave that the man took was paid for, it wouldn’t lead to women never returning to work because they would still have financial security. In the article, â€Å"Who’s Bathing the Baby? The Division of Domestic Labour in Sweden†, the authors provide explanation to my last point as they conducted a case study on parental leave. The study revealed, â€Å"Men’s participation in child care and household chores increased as the women went back to work, most dramatically when women returned to work. . .† In the past, there has been inequality between men and women. Promoting paid parental leave for both sexes will definitely help balance the scale and will give the workplace more of a sense of equality. The United States is more of a modern country than most other countries but is actually one of the least evolved in paid paternity leave. Countries such as Sweden or territories in Canada promote an extended amount of time of paid paternity leave. According to the Pew Research Organization, â€Å"At the other end of the spectrum, Poland, Estonia, Spain, Lithuania, The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Hungary, France and Finland offer three years or more of protection for leave related to motherhood. The median amount of protected leave for new mothers among these countries is about 13 months.† The Pew Research Center is comparing these other countries to the policy that the U.S. has. The U.S. provides the least amount of time and doesn’t even make paid parental leave required by companies. It is surprising that the United States isn’t as evolved in parental leave policies as other countries since it is such a modernized country that tends to promote  equality . The men and women should have equal roles in a household, and a child should be able to feel close to both parents. Research shows that the longer amount of parental leave will help the fathers take more time off, as well as what was stated before, help more around the house. The country that I want to focus on most is Sweden. They have a large amount of time given out to parents for leave, and it is paid for. Men are required to take a certain amount of days to care for their child and promote the women taking on roles in the workplace. â€Å"The Best of Both Worlds? Fatherhood and Gender Equality in Swedish Paternity Leave Campaigns, 1976-2001† states that, â€Å"Moreover, a significant feature of paternity leave campaigns, 1976-2001, was the frequent reminder of what men could gain by using their right to paternity leave.† The campaigns in Sweden for paternity leave promoted many aspects of why taking paternity could help no only the child but the father as well. If the United States adopted more of a leave policy like Sweden, there would be more acceptance of the policy with many great benefits not only in the workplace but at home. There are the stereotypes in the image of the family. The father is to take care of the family by going to work and bringing home the money. The mother is to take care of the children, and take up household chores. According to Wall Street Journal one of these stereotypes said by Jennifer Berdahl is, ‘Active fathers are seen as distracted and less dedicated to their work—the same perception that harms career prospects for many working mothers. . .’ Our country has advanced from these types of stereotypes. Men should be able to feel they can take paternity leave despite the stereotypes of before or now. Promoting the use of paternity leave can be the basis for equality in the workplace and at home. The women will also be supported in the workplace and that will also promote equality. Also the first six weeks should be paid for because the idea of the stereotypes will be shed; it will also help with the stability and strength of the family. Compared to other countri es, the United States is lacking in its parental leave policies. Evolving the policy to have six weeks paid off, will help make advances in the work world and social aspects as well.

Effective leader Essay

Imagine a world without leaders. A leader, defined by Websters Dictionary, is a person who rules, or guides others. When we think of leaders, we think of leaders of things as big as countries or nations, and as small as towns or even schools. Different types of leaders have duties they have to fulfill but one thing that all effective leaders are, is strong willed, knowledgeable, and powerful. In some times in history, it may be true that these three words bring out a side of the word â€Å"effective† that is not usually thought of. Effective means, producing the desired or intended result. The â€Å"intended result† varies for different leaders. So could a leader be effective even when they do not cause a positive effect to their followers? How about leaders Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Napoleon Bonaparte? One effective leader to date is Adolf Hitler, a political leader of the Nazi Party and chancellor leader in Germany from 1933 to 1945. Adolf Hitler was a very powerful leader while also being an evil leader. Joseph Stalin, an underestimated monster in European history, was as effective as it gets. Stalin is known for two things, industrially revolutionizing, and agriculturally revolutionizing. He was strong-willed about both of these plans. Stalin’s famous Five-Year Plans started off with developing the Soviet Union’s economy by setting extremely high numerical goals, to increase the output of steel, coal, oil, and electricity. To achieve these quotas, people had to face shortages of food, clothing and other necessities. This proves Stalin was strong-willed because he set a goal for himself and his country and although it put his people at risk, he had an idea in his mind that nothing would come in between. Another example of how Joseph Stalin was an effective leader is his success during his agricultural revolution. In 1928, the government began to s ixver 25 million private farms in the Soviet Union and combined these small farms into large, government owned farms, called collective farms. The collective farms were expected to boost food production because of the modern machinery, and reduce the number of workers. When workers resisted, Stalin used terror and violence in hope for them to react in a working manner. The  ends justified the means for Stalin. Stalin is a Machiavellian figure in history, and that is why this example shows that Stalin was a strong-willed leader. A well formed military is one of the keys to a successful nation. Napoleon Bonaparte is one of the most well known military leaders of all times, but why? To be a good military leader, you have to be a lot of things, one of them being knowledgeable. In order to have a successful military, it is not just about the weapons and the strength of the soldiers but even more about the thought process, strategies, and tactics. Napoleon commanded 34 battles and lost only 6 and ended up dominating Europe. This proves Napoleon was a knowledgeable leader because to be able to command an army that is able to win 28 out 34 battles in Europe in the 23 year time frame of 1792-1815, that commander really would have had to have an idea of what he was doing. Another example of how Napoleon was a knowledgeable leader is his military strategies. Wherever you go, you are bound to find someone who is not a proud follower of the leader of the place that they are in. Sometimes, this is because of ignorant opinions, but more importantly, sometimes it is because of the choices that leader makes. Being a leader of anything is the hardest job in the world. You are put in charge of something and you are expected to well educated, fair, etc., but what if your â€Å"fair† is different than one of your followers’ â€Å"fair†. Disagreements between leaders and followers are the main reason of political controversy and separation between groups. From good leaders to bad leaders, it is notable that all leaders are strong-willed, knowledgeable, and powerful. Wherever you go, you are bound to find someone who is not a proud follower of the leader of the place that they are in. Sometimes, this is because of ignorant opinions, but more importantly, sometimes it is because of the choices that leader makes. Being a leader of anything is the hardest job in the world. You are put in charge of something and you are expected to well educated, fair, etc., but what if your â€Å"fair† is different than one of your followers’ â€Å"fair†. Disagreements between leaders and followers are the main reason of political controversy and separation between groups. From good leaders to bad leaders, it is notable  that all leaders are strong-willed, knowledgeable, and powerful. Wherever you go, you are bound to find someone who is not a proud follower of the leader of the place that they are in. Sometimes, this is because of ignorant opinions, but more importantly, sometimes it is because of the choices that leader makes. Being a leader of anything is the hardest job in the world. You are put in charge of something and you are expected to well educated, fair, etc., but what if your â€Å"fair† is different than one of your followers’ â€Å"fair†. Disagreements between leaders and followers are the main reason of political controversy and separation between groups. From good leaders to bad leaders, it is notable that all leaders are strong-willed, knowledgeable, and powerful.

Free Essays on Sigmund Freud

or to name common objects is lost because of an organic brain disease. Soon Freud developed his idea of free association. He based his theory on observations of his patients and self-analysis. With the help of free association, Freud believed that he was able to uncover forgotten memories of his patients. Patients would spontaneously report the first word or image that came to their mind when prompted. In his book, Studies on Hysteria, Freud described several of his studies. Its publication, in 1895, marked the beginning of psychoanalysis. In 1900 Freud published his most well known book, The Interpretation of Dreams. Additionally, Freud was gaining international recognition and developing many of his thoughts. One of Freud’s ideas was that personality and behavior are the result of a constant interplay between conflicting psychological forces. There are three levels ... Free Essays on Sigmund Freud Free Essays on Sigmund Freud Freudian psychology is a much debated topic that encompasses many different elements. Some believe it was Freud’s unhappy childhood that led him to his conclusions on how we view life while others believe he was simply a genius, seeing the world in ways most of us can’t. Let’s examine Freud’s life as well as his most famous theory, psychoanalysis. Freud believes our personality is for the most part fixed by the time we turn five or six. He believed our feelings about ourselves come from jealousness, anxieties, and guilt regarding how we relate to other family members and how they view us. There is strong reason for him to believe this. Freud’s childhood consisted of constant sadness and turmoil. His father was 20 years older than his mother, had a couple of children by a previous marriage, and had a mistress throughout the good time of his marriage. His mother had an additional eight children. At one point, there were the eight children, a half-brother the age of Freud’s mother, the father, and a nephew all living in the same cramped 30-foot-by-30-foot room. Knowing this, it is not hard to see where Freud gets his beliefs about the family unit. As Freud got older he became a physician and for a time practiced medicine in the traditional sense. However, two things changed his life around into the man we know of now: 1) As he listened to his patients, he became more and more convinced that the problems they were having were coming from psychological forces rather than physical ones, and 2) He couldn’t stand the sight of blood. At one point in his career he began treating patients by giving them cocaine and eventually became addicted himself, nearly ruining his career. Now let’s discuss psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis is a personality theory based on the assumption that how we develop and behave is the result of impulses or needs that are unknown to us. This theory originated from a beli... Free Essays on Sigmund Freud Modern civilization has always been viewed in the most positive of lights. To many individuals, it conjures the feelings of progress, optimism, and a better world. This saccharine perspective presents the advancement of civilization as a venture without risks. However, there is an inherent dichotomy is present that most individuals fail to recognize. Any progress entails consequences and as much as individuals would like to remain ignorant, there is always the possibility that what is considered to be a positive step forward could ultimately be a detrimental step backwards. The development of civilization entails risks, and Sigmund Freud and Friedrich Nietzsche were cognizant of this difficult truth. Both men saw how civilization rendered the individual helpless, and each has his own beliefs as to how it contributes to humanity’s unhappiness. Freud critically evaluated it through psycho-analysis, whereas Nietzsche critically evaluated it through the contractual relationship. S igmund Freud and Friedrich Nietzsche believed that civilization functioned as a repressive tool, which imprisoned the individual through guilt and pain; as a result, both agreed that people would be much happier if they returned to the primitive conditions that existed prior to modern civilization. According to Sigmund Freud, there are three sources of suffering. Human beings wish to protect themselves from the third one, which is the social source of suffering, but they do not see that the regulations they place upon themselves do not protect them from it. (Civilization and Its Discontents 37-38). He notes that their efforts are futile since these threats against their happiness emanate from the very civilization in which they live in (38).Thus, individuals cannot protect themselves from suffering when they are at the source of it, and Freud boldly concludes, â€Å"†¦what we call our civilization is largely responsible for our misery...† (38). Freud believed ... Free Essays on Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud was born on May 6, 1856, in what is now Pribor, Czech Republic. When he was four years old, Sigmund’s family moved to Vienna, and he lived there until the very last year of his life. Sigmund was the first of seven children and was always his mother’s favorite. Growing up Freud was extermely ambitious and intelligent. In 1873, he entered the Vienna University and began to study medicine. There he was driven by a desire to study natural science, and tried to solve questions that plagued the scientists of the day. He then received his medical degree, but remained at the university as a demonstrator in the physiological laboratory. In 1886, Sigmund Freud married Martha Bernays, and he reluctantly gave up his physiological research so he could start a private practice in neurology- he needed the money. From 1895 to 1900 Freud developed many of his ideas that would later be the basis for his psychoanalytic doctrine. In 1981 Freud published his first work, On Aphasia. In this work he studied a neurological disorder in which the ability to pronounce words or to name common objects is lost because of an organic brain disease. Soon Freud developed his idea of free association. He based his theory on observations of his patients and self-analysis. With the help of free association, Freud believed that he was able to uncover forgotten memories of his patients. Patients would spontaneously report the first word or image that came to their mind when prompted. In his book, Studies on Hysteria, Freud described several of his studies. Its publication, in 1895, marked the beginning of psychoanalysis. In 1900 Freud published his most well known book, The Interpretation of Dreams. Additionally, Freud was gaining international recognition and developing many of his thoughts. One of Freud’s ideas was that personality and behavior are the result of a constant interplay between conflicting psychological forces. There are three levels ... Free Essays on Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud The cruel, cold and brutal world itself is hard to bear for human, nature threatens us with all the natural disasters: Earthquake, volcano, flood and storm. These forces nature rise up against human cruelly. Humans see their own weakness and helplessness. So human create civilization in order to protect us to against the cruel nature. To be a part of the society, we need to restrict ourselves and to follow its rules. We need to restrain our instincts, to give it up and compensate our desire with other satisfaction. Yet, these sacrifices and comforts, civilization can never fully protect us when we face of disease and death. In front of the fate of disease and death, human are helpless. No matter how well is the civilization developed. It will come up with death at the end. A well-known psychologist, Sigmund Freud sees that it is hard for all of us to accept the truth of death. Human may try to observe and imagine that there are beings around in our society, so human might come up an idea that death itself may not is something that spontaneous, the evil and sin might course the death. Under all these assumptions, the fate of disease and death seems to have an answer and human can accept the fate of death. Humans start to face and believe things as we did in the days of our childhood. We want a father to reassure us from the danger in our world. Freud says, we project an external world father, who can scatter the terror of nature disaster, can reward us after life from accepting the restriction from civilization. The character of a father, human turns him into God. Human projected God with a divine origin elevated human society and were extended to nature and universe. Human craves to go back to their childhood, need a father’s protection to against the dangers of nature, the fate of death and the harmless that terrorize him from human society itself. In the end, all goods are rewarded and all th...

Extremists takes matters into their own hands in Margaret Arwoods The handmaids tale

Extremists takes matters into their own hands in Margaret Arwoods The handmaids tale In Margaret Atwoods novel, 'The Handmaids Tale', the birth rate in the United States had dropped so low that extremists decided to take matters into their own hands by killing off the government, taking over themselves, and reducing the womens role in society to that of a silent birthing machine. One handmaid describes what happened and how it came about as she, too, is forced to comply with the new order.Before the new order, known as the Sons of Jacob, took over, women had a lot to be afraid of. They had freedom to do whatever they wanted, but this freedom was severely inhibited by maniacs who could strike at any time. Women followed rules to keep them out of danger, but they were not enforced.'I remember the rules, rules that were never spelled out but that every woman knew; dont open your door to a stranger, even if he is the police.English: Birgit Anderson Ridderstedt & sons Jacob ...Make him slide his ID under the door. Dont stop on the road to help a motorist pretending to be in trouble. Keep the locks on and keep going. If anyone whistles, dont turn to look. Dont go into a laundromat, by yourself, at night ... Women were not protected then.'(p. 24)Nobody believed it could happen to them. When the Sons of Jacob took over and began to take away their freedom, they accepted it. They were afraid and the Sons gave them some security. Because they accepted the first few laws, it was hard to refuse to not go along with the ones that followed.When the women were finally stripped of their identities, they felt as though they had deserved it because they had done nothing to try and save any of their other rights.'We looked at one...